How to Choose the Best Blender For Smoothies – Your Ultimate Guide

Looking for a blender to make healthy smoothies or protein shakes?

How about some smoothie bowls, nut butters, dressings or soups?

The amount of information, choices and advice out there is overwhelming, and most blenders look pretty much the same - it’s no surprise if you might already feel confused!

That’s why we’re here to help you make this purchase easy, quick and… even exciting - after all, you’re about to buy an appliance that will help you feel better, look better and boost your health.

The end result - a blender can turn fruits and vegetables into 

delicious smoothies

We’ve researched, used and reviewed every notable brand out there. Even better, all of us here are smoothie and juicing enthusiasts who love to share our experience.

The result?

This ultimate guide we’ve crafted for you, so you can easily find your perfect blender in just three quick steps!

Step #1 - Discover Your Ideal Type of Blender

This is where most people get really confused, so we’ve decided to take the challenge and make it as simple and easy as possible:

Just ask yourself what would you like to do with your blender. Use the table below to get ideas on what can be done.

You can also see in the table what needs and limitations each type of blender addresses, such as limited storage space, on the go single servings vs large number of servings, etc.

The result of this step is that you’ll know exactly what type of blender to look for, and what price range is reasonable to expect.

Which types of blenders are good for smoothies? 

The good news is - most blenders will be able to make smoothies. However, you need to know the differences between the types of blenders available, so you'd know which one would really fit your needs.

There are a few different types of blenders to choose from, such as immersion, bullet and high-performance - each of which have their individual pros and cons.
Here is an overview of the main types of blenders that are available so you can decide which will work best for your lifestyle.

Hand/Immersion Blenders

These are hand held blenders, which often come with a range of adds-ons. This makes them highly versatile and can do everything from making soup and smoothies to marinades and mayonnaise.
One of the big advantages of a hand blender is its size. If you have a small kitchen, this kind of blender is the only one that doesn’t really take a good amount of space.

Step #2 - Choose Your Perfect Blender Model

This step is very Important - you'll zoom in on the model you want, and ensure the model you’re considering is really right for you!

This isn't too difficult - we've done all the leg work for you, and hand-picked the best and most popular models of each type of blenders.

What to consider when choosing a blender model

Once you know which type of blender would be perfect for you, here are the most important factors you should look into when choosing your model.

Most guides will start by highlighting the blender’s motor power. We’ve found this to be one of the least relevant considerations when choosing a blender. Read on to learn why, and what’s really important.

1. Number of people to serve

Some blenders come with family-sized jars, while others are single or two serve.

Be sure the size matches your family's need, especially if you have kids - this is your best bet at bringinging them healthier, nutrient-rich food that they would actually like!

2. Available storage space

Size also matters when it comes to storage. Do you have enough storage space for the blender and its various attachments, accessories and jars?

Is the profile small enough to enable you to store the blender on the kitchen countertop under kitchen cabinets? Up to 17 inch tall would probably fit under most cabinets.

3. Ease of cleanup

Is the jar dishwasher safe? Is it designed as an easy to clean 1-piece?

Blenders with touch pads are easier to keep clean rather than those that have knobs and dials..

The Blendtec digital touch pad is very easy to clean

4. Available blending controls

More blending speeds mean more control over the blending process. However, 5 speeds with Pulse are enough.

The Pulse function is useful when you have frozen or other tough ingredients. It also helps if you need to chop ingredients without over-processing or pureeing them.​

5. How powerful is the motor

This is one of the factors that determine the quality of the results - will your smoothies be really smooth? Can the blender crush ice effectively?

Generally speaking, I’ve found that for really smooth, high quality blends, above 800 watts is recommended. Weaker blenders might give less impressive results.

Having said that, there are other factors which are just as important, and could affect your final results even more, such as the engineering of the blade and jar.

That’s why the watts feature is often overrated, as salesmen focus on what’s easier for them - comparing wattage numbers rather than actually knowing which blender produces better results.

How to get around this?

Compare between user ratings and feedback on how their beverages turn out, rather than comparing an often meaningless number.

We’ve done the work for you and hand-picked the blender models that received the highest user satisfaction reviews.

6. What type of material is the jar (pitcher) made of?

Blender jars are either made of plastic, glass or stainless steel.

Plastic is preferred by many as it is lightweight and easy to handle. However it might absorb odors and can stain and scratch. If you’ve went for a model with a plastic pitcher, make sure it is “BPA Free” which is considered safer for food.

Glass jars are heavier and breakable, but do not absorb odors or scratch easily.

An important caveat though - glass jars could be less safe to use with powerful blenders, since if a metal object such as a spoon is accidentally forgotten left in a glass jar, it could shatter and potentially cause injury.

​Stainless steel jar are an alternative if you don’t like plastic or glass. It is much less popular due to the fact that you can’t see the contents while it is blending.

7. How often will you use it?

If you do not intend to use the blender frequently, it might be tempting to purchase a cheap model.

But here’s the deal:

The results you get with a high quality blender are so good that people find themselves compelled to use it more often.​

I strongly believe that if you’re already investing money and kitchen space in a blender, you’d better take one that you’ll enjoy using and fully enjoy its results.​

8. Durability

If you crush a lot of ice and tough ingredients, over a period of years, will the blender survive? Does it have an overload shut off, and does it really work and protects the motor?

Usually the cheaper models get worn or burn quickly, sometimes even after a few months. You can usually expect the higher end models to function as new for years.

9. Accessories and attachments

Some blenders include a tamper to help ingredients move inside the pitcher and blend better, but in our experience it’s just another item to operate and to clean afterwards. Use the blender’s Pulse button instead to get the same effect.

10. Warranty period

Your warranty is like an insurance policy, and can save you from expensive repairs later on.

Higher end models offer 5-9 years, while lower priced models would usually give just one year.

11. Budget consideration

You can find blenders for as low as $20 or as high as $400, and well beyond.

Price is usually proportional to the quality of the smoothies and other blends it would produce, but there are a few exceptions.

On the one hand, some of the better personal bullet blenders aren’t that expensive, but their results are almost in line with more expensive, high performance blenders. We review these models here.

On the other hand, some of the expensive countertop blenders produce the kind of chunky, poorly blended results that are expected from most cheap blenders.

That's why consulting with online expert reviews as well as verified user reviews - is a must before buying.

Generally, with cheap blenders I’ve heard everything from motors quick to burn out and non-smooth smoothies, to plastic chips from the blender getting into the food.

If you’d like to own a quality blender but are on a tight budget, a refurbished high performance model could be a great idea.

Step #3 - Order Your Chosen Blender

Many are still holding on to the habit of shopping for kitchen appliances by visiting a few brick-and-mortar stores.

The last time I did that, I was faced with a limited selection of coffee grinders and a sour-faced salesman who didn’t actually know much about his coffee grinders. That was the last time I shopped for appliances “offline”.

Not only did I waste a substantial amount of time driving to the store and had an unpleasant shopping experience - on top of that I discovered that the model I was somewhat interested in, is being sold for substantially less online - including delivery to my doorstep!

Yes, there is a certain disadvantage in not being able to see and feel the blender before you purchase it, but in this day and age you can get a pretty good feel for how it would look like by the multitude of photos and YouTube videos of the product.

Why shop online for a blender?

Shopping online for kitchen appliances makes a lot of sense, for many reasons:

• ​You can get any model you want, without being limited to the store’s inventory
• You get exactly what you need, and not what the salespeople push
• you to buy due to them getting higher commissions or trying to get rid of inventory
• You get the best price since comparing price online is so easy and quick
• You don’t have to carry the appliance home. This is especially true when buying larger items like a countertop blender

It’s as simple as choosing one of the models in Step #2, and within minutes your order will be finalized. Good luck with your purchase!

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